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AFD SOFTWARE - POSTCODE NEWS |
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| Postcode
News 46 - Winter 2006 |
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Download Adobe Acrobat Free to
read our archived Postcode News |
| Welcome
to Postcode News. In
this issue... |
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| Exceed
Customer, Staff and Revenue
Expectations - Names & Numbers |
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Exceed
Customer, Staff
and Revenue Expectations
Do you
want to identify newly
built properties, improve
your data quality and
improve your bottom
line?
This issue of Postcode
News shows how
AFD Postcode software
helps achieve these
things by adding
new value for existing
AFD users and compelling
reasons for new
users to choose
AFD.
Better
customer experience,
lower
administration
costs and shorter
queues are just
three of the benefits
which followed
installation of
AFD Names & Numbers
as part of a ground-breaking
new admissions
system at Chester
Zoo.
Chester Zoo
is one of the largest
and most beautiful
Zoos in the UK
and employs over
280 permanent staff
(increasing to
480 in the summer
season) and attracting
over one million
visitors each year.
The Zoo cares for
around 600 different
species - about
half of which are
endangered.
Chester
Zoo is operated
by a charitable
trust and receives
no government funding.
As a charity it
operates 'gift
aid' on its admissions,
a government scheme
which enables charities
to claim back 28p
in the pound from
contributions made
by tax payers when
entering the Zoo.
Gift Aid is an
important source
of income; however
it carries a significant
administrative
overhead.
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Julie
Bird is responsible
for visitor admissions: “To
enter the Zoo, visitors
form a queue to the
receptions desk.
While in the queue
our staff would approach
visitors with a clipboard
to complete an A4
form which enabled
us to record gift
aid details. Information
from the forms would
be then entered to
the computer system
as a back office
process. This was
time-consuming, costly
and prone to error
and the sheer volume
of paperwork would
result in peak period
backlogs.”
IT Manager
Philip Morris and
his team conceived
a solution that
involved providing
admissions staff
with handheld devices
(PDA) that link
directly to the
central computer
systems via a wireless
network. Philip: “We
needed to develop
a significantly
faster system that
would cut processing
costs and be more
secure and professional;
more accurate and
visitor-friendly.
Recording name
and address details
was the most time
consuming part
of the process.”
| “By
integrating
AFD Names & Numbers,
a name
and address
with say
80 characters
is entered
accurately
and validated
keying
as few
as 8 characters.” |
Names & Numbers
is bringing significant
additional benefits,
some of which
could not have
been anticipated.
Julie
Bird “Many
of our seasonal
summer staff
are young people
who not only
find the PDA
more interesting
and trendy, but
are now more
confident and
engaged. Visitors
find the PDA
less ‘official’ than
a clipboard and
whereas some
used to get irritated
having to spell
out their details
- now it's all
there with just
a few clicks
on the PDA. At
peak periods
we have up to
25 staff working
with the queues.”
| “We
have increased
take-up
of gift
aid, significantly
reduced
transaction
time at
the till
and enabled
people
to get
into the
Zoo faster.” |
Philip
continued: “We
also use Names & Numbers
to bring marketing
insights. For
example by
utilising the
grid reference
data we can
visually display
the distance
visitors travel
to the Zoo.
The Censation
geodemographic
system helps
us to profile
visitors to
gain an understanding
of affluence,
life-stage
and lifestyle.
This information
helps inform
marketing strategy
and tactics.”
| “Of
course
the data
we collect
is now
accurate,
making
marketing
analysis
and activity
more effective.” |
“We
have seen a genuine
and measurable
return on investment
from Names & Numbers
that has exceeded
our expectations.
In less than
a year we have
collected 250,000
names & addresses.
We estimate that
we save around
one minute each
time a name and
address is entered
and we save the
cost of three
staff members
that previously
had to enter
the data from
handwritten forms.”
| “The
charity
will see
a process
saving
over a
three year
period
of over £100,000.” |
www.afd.co.uk/names
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AFD
Just Built™
Newly
built properties represent
new market opportunities
- now you can seize
those opportunities
with AFD Just Built.
This
new data field enables
immediate
identification of
over 250,000 newly
built properties
from 2006 and will
be updated each quarter.
AFD Just Built is
included as part
of AFD Postcode Plus
and Names & Numbers
- FREE!
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AFD
Corporate Sales Director,
Mike Solomon explained
the significance: “Research
shows that the occupiers
of Just Built properties
are highly likely to be
in the market for new household
items such as furniture
and domestic appliances.
Where homes have land,
new opportunities exist
for gardening and leisure
products and services.
Further opportunities exist
in insurance and financial
services. AFD Just Built
brings new competitive
advantage to many AFD customers.”
The Just Built data is
compiled using sophisticated
proprietary matching routines
which compare data releases
to identify newly built
properties. AFD Just Built
is updated quarterly and
includes a note of the
quarter in which each new
property first appeared
on the Postcode Address
File (PAF).
At
the point of address
capture, AFD Postcode
Plus and Names & Numbers
identify newly built
properties enabling call
centre staff to make
appropriate offers of
goods or services. This
knowledge can be fed
in to back end marketing
communications activity.
| “AFD
Just Built brings
new competitive
advantage to many
AFD customers.” |
Alternatively, because
the Just Built field is
indexed, users can simply
identify and export a list
of all Just Built properties
within any defined geographic
area.
The
value of the AFD Just
Built field is shown
through comparison with
the Just Built data lists
available from Royal
Mail. Currently, twelve
monthly feeds from Royal
Mail licensed for multiple
mailings would cost around £60,000
per year. It is estimated
that the AFD Just Built
flags will have an accuracy
rate of 97% - though
clearly without access
to the actual mail-stream,
AFD would not claim the
same levels of accuracy
as that available from
Royal Mail.
The
Just Built flags are
updated each quarter
as part of the Postcode
Plus and Names & Numbers
standard release and
are available in the
Q.1/07 data update release.
| How
much does AFD Just
Built cost?
Nothing
at all!
To
AFD Postcode
Plus and Names & Numbers
customers
its
included FREE
of charge!
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(After
our article went to Press
the Royal Mail
informed us that they would
now intend charging just £1200
per annum plus £12
per user license for their
Just Built data.)
www.afd.co.uk/names
www.afd.co.uk/pcplus
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| DMA
Addresses Data Skills
Shortage |
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DMA
Addresses Data Skills
Shortage
“ There
is definitely a data skills
shortage in Direct Marketing” says
Dr Tim Drye.
Tim is a Data Council
Member of the Direct Marketing
Association. The DMA is
encouraging organisations
to ensure their staff are
equipped with the skills
necessary to manage data
and maximise the return
from direct marketing campaigns.
To
make it easier to acquire
data skills the DMA has
set up a series of key
learning events run by
leading industry practitioners
covering the buying, collecting,
analyzing, preparing, processing,
profiling and segmenting
of data. Alexandra Pye,
DMA Events Marketing Manager: "Good
analysis, segmentation
and profiling inform excellent
design and copy writing.
Underpinning this is the
requirement to prepare
and process data effectively
and professionally."
Tim
continued: “Most
IT people don't realise
the skill and intricacy
required to handle address
data properly. IT training
is usually about data structure
not content whereas a lot
of Direct Marketing is
about content not structure.
It may look dull and unchallenging
but in fact there are many
challenges which require
real skill to resolve.”
‘Preparing and Processing
Your Data’ is one
of the core DMA learning
events. It covers postal
address data, suppression,
de-duplication, data management
and the law. Tim comments: “Having
a detailed understanding
of the Postcode Address
File is essential. It is
a core reference, a hub
enabling an easy link to
lots of different internal
and external data sources,
such as bereavement suppression
or appending of data at
postcode or property level.
It's also a key reference
for de-duplication.”
Neville
Hilton, AFD Business
Development Director
designs
and delivers the PAF element
of the course: “In
the past year we have seen
the release of the Unique
Delivery Point Reference
Number (UDPRN), Just Built,
Not Yet Built and Multiple
Residency files. The suppressions
market has changed markedly
in the last few years with
lots of new files and a
lot more thought is required
about how they are best
used. This is a dynamic
knowledge base and course
leaders meet regularly
to ensure content is up-to-date
and delivery is engaging
and professional.”
Alex
concludes: “Marketing
is a creative industry
and it's easy to be distracted
by 'glitz' when it is the
visiting and re-visiting
of basics that so often
brings radical results.
The DMA courses build confidence
based on a practical understanding
of the professional processes
which maximise database
marketing results.”
Want to skill-up? Visit
www.dma.org.uk/events |
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| Royal
Mail Boosts Address
Quality |
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Royal
Mail Boosts
Address Quality
For the first
time since
its inception
all approx
28 million
UK postal
delivery
addresses
in the Postcode
Address File
will be date-stamped
during an
intensive
one year
process.
The date-stamping
will take
place as
part of a
major national
validation
exercise
being conducted
by Royal
Mail to check,
verify and
where necessary
update every
UK postal
delivery
address.
Royal
Mail Postcode
Data Development
Manager,
Martin Dale
explained "The
date stamp
will show
when the
address was
last updated
and validated.
Once validated,
each delivery
address will
be allocated
a confidence
level on
PAF which
will allow
the Address
Management
Unit to more
accurately
monitor the
accuracy
of PAF and
target potential
areas of
inactivity"
The introduction
of the Address
Validation
Process represents
a significant
and continuing
investment
in PAF quality
by Royal
Mail's Address
Management
Unit. |
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Eco-Friendly Software!
Over 90% of
AFD Postcode
and BankFinder
direct
customers
now receive
software
via Electronic
Software
Download
(ESD).
Following
this success,
ESD will
be introduced
for Postcode
Plus in Q.2/07
(April).
AFD
Technical
Manager,
Graeme Howie: "ESD
means software
is received
faster and
CD, packaging
and printed
documentation
waste is
eliminated.
The fact
that so many
AFD customers
choose this
option shows
the growing
awareness
of environmental
and business
efficiency
issues."
Move to ESD?
Call: 01624
811711 or
Email: postcode@afd.co.uk |
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| What
are my customers
like? |
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What are my customers like?
Ever
wanted to get
a 'profile'
of the
kind of
customers
you have
and catalyse
your thinking
about how
to attract
more of
the best
kind? Every
end user
of AFD
address
management
solutions
has free
access
to the
Censation® geodemographic
classification
system.
Updated
in each
January
release,
the system
classifies
UK residential
postcodes
according
to affluence,
life-stage
and lifestyle.
Based on
reliable
groundbreaking
statistical
analysis
Censation
informs
and acts
as a catalyst
in the
development
of marketing
strategy
and tactics
and in
resource
planning
and allocation.
"Similar
geodemographic
systems would
be licensed
at around £4,000
per annum.
By including
Censation
within our
address management
solutions
we are empowering
thousands
of organisations
to use geodemographic
profiling
to gain new
insights
and competitive
advantage."
www.afd.co.uk/censation |
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| NEW - Common API - Server Version Released |
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NEW - Common API - Server Version Released
The Common
API provides
access
for computer
programmers
to almost
all AFD
solutions
through
a single
API.
This
provides
a straightforward
way of
future-proofing
integration
across
possible
changes
in platform,
functionality
or data
levels
required.
Following
the successful
introduction
of the
new client
Common
API,
developers
using
AFD solutions
now have
access
to a
new XML
server
version.
As
with
the
client
Common
API
the
server
version
is
delivered
with
a code
generation
wizard
initially
supporting
a range
of
common
development
languages.
If
you
use
a language
not
currently
supported
by
our
Code
Generator,
please
contact
support@afd.co.uk
- we'll
be
delighted
to
help.
For
full
details
of
the
common
API
including
downloads
and
documentation
please
visit
www.afd.co.uk/commonapi
Existing
installations
are
not
affected.
Please
contact: support@afd.co.uk or
call: 01624
811712 |
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| Benefit Communities - Strengthen Family Life |
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Benefit Communities - Strengthen Family Life
AFD
Software
continues
to support
charities
that build
communities
and strengthen
family
life. This
is a practical
expression
of its
corporate
commitment
to Christian
values
and purpose.
A wide
range of
charities
nominated
by AFD
staff received
a total
of over £120,000
at our
charity
presentation
on December
14th 2006
including
Care For
the Family,
Christian
Aid, Lifeboats
and local
Hospices. |
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Data
News Q.1/07
The
latest AFD data release
(Q.1/07) sees 133,843 new
delivery addresses, 12,318
new postcodes and 11 new
localities. Postal Address
Data is constantly changing
- new buildings are constructed,
existing buildings are
changed to apartments or
back to large houses, and
some are demolished. Royal
Mail Postcode Address File
statistics and newly announced
changes can be found at:
www.afd.co.uk/news/datanews
Bank
administration is also
constantly
changing. Consolidation,
centralisation, re-organisation
and regionalisation
are regular occurrences.
Without BankFinder
updates, details that
should be rejected
may be accepted and
vice versa. Occasional
'emergency updates'
from BACS are immediately
made available to BankFinder
customers who receive
updates.
Updates range
in price from GBP 60 per
annum
to GBP 150 per annum
depending on the product.
For details
and to
order updates please
call:
01624 811711 or email: postcode@afd.co.uk
AFD's monthly Postcode
Ownership Plan (POP)
covers all costs (including
updates & VAT)
in a single monthly
payment.
www.afd.co.uk/pop
Please note Names & Numbers
Q.1/07 release is due
in February. All other
Q.1/07 product releases
are available now. |
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'AFD', 'AFD
ADDRESS 2000', 'AFD
BANKFINDER’,
'AFD
POCKET BANKFINDER’, 'AFD
MAILSAVER', 'AFD
NAMES & NUMBERS',
'POCKET NAMES & NUMBERS', 'AFD
POSTCODE', 'POCKET
POSTCODE', 'AFD
POSTCODE 2000', 'POSTCODE-EVERYWHERE’, 'AFD
REFINER’, 'CENSATION', 'ROBOT', 'TRACEMASTER',
'ZIPADDRESS', 'POCKET
ZIPADDRESS', and the Flying Envelope Device are Registered
Trade Marks of ZipAddress Ltd. 'ROBOT' Technology is protected by Patent
No GB2369699.
All other trade marks acknowledged.
AFD Products are subject to a License
Agreement and include a data license
for one computer, renewable annually.
AFD Software Limited. Registered in the Isle of Man No: 087071C
Registered Office: Lough House, Approach Road, Ramsey, Isle of Man, IM8 1RG. |
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